


Unshakable Core

by Luna_Myth



Series: and i am coming home to you (if it's the last thing that i do) [7]
Category: Sword Art Online (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Canon Rewrite, Crying, Deception, Drama & Romance, F/M, Friendship, Gen, I have to do everything myself, I'm Bad At Tagging, Love, POV Alternating, POV Third Person Limited, Pregnancy, Sword Art Online Alicization Exploding, Swordfighting, Talking, War, if u want to see eugeo alive u have to put up w my dumb bullshit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-21 01:38:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21066650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luna_Myth/pseuds/Luna_Myth
Summary: Asuna is reunited with her lover. Eugeo meets an important stranger. A vigil is organized for Kirito.{Canon divergence of SAO 16 with living Eugeo + other changes; part of a series. See previous works for context if desired.}





	Unshakable Core

**Author's Note:**

> i started college but i'm alive and i have thoughts and opinions. please enjoy

Asuna’s first view of the Underworld was stunning. As real as the world she’d just left, a vast expanse of desert and sand stretched before her as she floated slowly downward, interrupted only by an oasis at her feet and on her distant left, the mountains surrounding the Human Realm. More worrying, though, was the vast army approaching the oasis, and the detachment of it that seemed to have already infiltrated the camp belonging to the human army. At least, she assumed she was descending toward the human army—it was where Kirito was likely to be, but it didn’t look much like an army, being so much smaller than its opponent and in such a state of disarray. As she watched, a group of darkly clad soldiers advanced on a girl a few years younger than Asuna, headed by a human man in extravagant dress. If she had to guess, she’d say he was a lieutenant of the Dark Territory, and he looked utterly deadly as he loomed closer to the girl. 

Asuna was nearing the ground now, but what she’d seen from above did not bode well for the human army, Kirito, or herself. She was hesitant to use the terrain manipulation straight away, but it was clear if she did not intervene, that girl would be overwhelmed by first the lieutenant and then the detachment, and the approaching dark army would decimate the scattered human forces. Higa has informed her that while the terrain manipulation available to her super-account was incredibly powerful, it also put a great deal of strain on the user’s fluctlight, so she ought to avoid using it too much if she could, but this was an emergency. Besides, she couldn’t very well land in the middle of a standoff. 

She spared a moment’s thought for her body back in the real world, then began the command sequence to open a pit beneath the invading detachment. In better circumstances, she would have tried to spare their lives, but it couldn’t be helped now. She watched the ground begin to quake and splinter beneath the dark lieutenant and his men, and felt only cold determination mixed with the beginnings of a headache. The lieutenant looked up at her with more shock than terror on his face as he fell into the pit. 

The ground was only a hundred or so meters away, but she still had to deal with the approaching Dark Territory army. Asuna stiffened, and with an expansive gesture, she opened a ravine the likes of which had never before been seen in this world or any other, stretching across the desert to each horizon and completely blocking the progress of the invading army. There would be no way across it, at least for now. The human army--and Kirito with them--was safe. 

Asuna bit her lip as a shooting pain crossed her forehead, but it soon began to fade, and no sooner had the pain left than she finally touched down on the ground, her feet finding purchase in the sandy grass of the oasis. The only people left in the area were the young woman she had saved, and another girl around the first’s age, who ran out from a hidden carriage to her friend’s side. 

The newcomer was staring at her. “L-Lady Stacia?!” Her eyes were wide with shock and awe. 

Asuna glanced down at her outfit briefly. She was clad in a dress made almost entirely of shimmering white silk, with red accents that looked almost pink next to all that shining silver. It was by far the most intricate outfit she’d ever worn, and it was beautiful--fit for the goddess of creation she was supposed to be masquerading as. In such opulent attire, and having literally descended from the heavens, it was no wonder the young woman was willing to believe her a goddess. 

“W-well…” Asuna held up her hands to deny it, then hesitated. How was she supposed to explain who she was when if anything the truth was more outlandish than what this young woman already seemed to think? Would she even be able to convince her of it? What about the young woman she’d saved and the other people in the camp? Would any of them believe her? 

“Are...you the goddess…?” The young woman and her friend seemed to be waiting for an answer, their hands clutching their sword hilts and their faces stunned. 

“I am--from somewhere very far away,” said Asuna, silently asking for forgiveness for her half-truth. “A celestial realm, you could call it. My name is Asuna.” 

“You’re not the goddess Stacia?” the other young woman protested in surprise. It was the girl she’d saved, speaking up for the first time. “But...but you worked a miracle and saved my life. You saved everyone from the horrible soldiers of the land of darkness… The soldiers, the priests...and even Kirito.” 

Asuna gasped and subconsciously pressed a hand to her stomach, the other flying to her mouth to muffle a sob. All the emotions she’d buried while dealing with the Dark Territory soldiers came flooding back. Her beloved was so close--but what kind of state was he in? Tears welled up in Asuna’s eyes as she struggled to regain her composure. 

At last, she said, “I have many names.” This technically wasn’t a lie, as she’d been known by several titles during her VRMMORPG career. “But that isn’t what matters now. Kirito...can you take me to him? It’s important. He’s...he’s the reason I’m here. Please...let me see my husband.” 

The young women were, if anything, even more stunned by this than by her descending from the heavens, but they exchanged a glance with each other and quickly acquiesced. 

Asuna followed them through the human army camp, past some more soldiers, to the entrance of a carriage--the same one one of the girls had exited previously. Before either of the young women could even finish telling her this was it, Asuna rushed inside, her heart pounding and her head buzzing with nervous anticipation. She felt almost dizzy as she took in the dark interior of the carriage, and caught the scent of something that shouldn’t have been possible--the smell of sun and breeze in a cramped and dusty space like this. It had to be Kirito’s influence, although how she could smell the sun and wind on him was beyond her. 

She forced her way to the back of the carriage and at last came to an abrupt halt. There he was, a darkly dressed silhouette, seated in a hand-crafted wheelchair, staring off into space but clearly breathing, clearly living, and--

“Kirito…” Asuna breathed, tears spilling down her cheeks. He was hurt, badly, but he was alive, and determination to save him no matter the cost filled Asuna, spurred on by the thought of what was happening with her body back in the real world. The only thing that could make her more determined to save her lover was the fact that by doing so she was also saving the father of her child. If any holds had been barred before that realization, they were not now. 

“Aa….” Kirito shuddered in his chair, his whole body trembling with tension. His eyes glistened with tears as he fought to move, his only arm clutching a sword as he leaned forward slightly. “Aa...aaa...ah…” 

Asuna’s heart squeezed like it was caught in a vice. Before she was even aware of it, she was moving forward to close the distance between them, choking on her tears. “It’s alright, my love,” she told Kirito hoarsely. “It’s okay now. I’m here, and I love you.” 

She buried her face in his neck and embraced him. He felt so fragile, but he was real and steady under her hands, a wisp of a man hiding an unshakable core. She knew he was in there, even if her presence hadn’t brought him back to consciousness yet, and she was determined to see him restored soon. As long as she was by his side, all would be well. 

“I have something to tell you,” she whispered, her face still wet with tears. Her lover had stopped crying now and was still in her arms. “I know you can’t hear me, but I’ve been waiting to tell you for too long already.” A soft and shaky laugh escaped her, and she pressed a kiss to Kirito’s cheek, giddy with love and longing. 

“We’re having a baby, Kirito,” she told him, covering his hand with her own. He seemed to have lost an arm at some point, which didn’t surprise Asuna. In any case, she was sure he could be healed, and she knew his real body was relatively safe and sound in an STL only a few feet away from hers. She stroked his hair, drawing comfort from his presence. It felt like a hole in her chest was slowly being filled in. Like she’d been missing something, and now she was whole again. The stress of separation was finally leaving her. 

“Isn’t that amazing?” she said softly, leaning close to her lover. “I know it’s not the best timing, but I’ve always wanted a family with you, and you always said Yui would like to have a little sibling. Can you imagine it, Kirito? You and me and Yui and someone new together in America, somewhere safe and happy. It will be wonderful.” 

Tears were starting again, but they were happy tears, and Asuna smiled as she held her lover’s hand and daydreamed of a time some months from now, when she and her family would be safe and happy and complete. 

The two girls had followed her into the carriage, and they were standing some distance away, watching her talk to Kirito, and Asuna felt gratitude stir in her chest as she remembered how they’d helped her find her beloved. She stood up and smiled at them, feeling better than she had since Kirito had first gotten hurt those long days ago. 

“Thank you,” she said. “For taking me to him, and for keeping him safe.” 

The girl she’d saved before bowed her head, trembling slightly. She was still under the impression she was in the presence of a goddess, and in some ways, she was. “Um, Lady Asuna...may I ask you something? Are you really… is Kirito really… Is Kirito really your husband?” 

Asuna stiffened, feeling defensive despite herself. “Yes,” she said firmly. “He is. We’re married, and we have a daughter back in the celestial realm. And, well…soon we’ll have another.” 

Both the young women’s eyes widened in surprise. They stared at Asuna, who was doing her best to look like a powerful goddess and not like a self-conscious teenage girl. She could feel heat in her cheeks, but she stared back at the young women defiantly. If either of them had something to say, they might as well say it. 

“S-sorry, Lady Asuna,” the same girl as before said. “K-Kirito never mentioned anything about his past, so I was s-surprised…” Still clearly fearful, she looked up and said, “It’s an honor to meet you.” Her voice only shook a little bit, and Asuna smiled at the girl’s show of courage. 

“I’m pleased to meet you as well, but I’m afraid now isn’t the best time for talk,” said Asuna. “There’s another reason I’m here...beyond that of reuniting with my husband. It’s the same reason Kirito is here. Can you take me to those who are in charge? I would like to only have to explain myself in full once.” 

The girls nodded respectfully, averting their eyes, and started to leave the carriage. Asuna stopped one last time to squeeze Kirito’s hand. “It will be okay, my love,” Asuna said with determination, as much for her own benefit as for Kirito’s. “Everything’s going to be okay.” 

She followed the two girls outside the carriage, her head held high as befitting a goddess of love and creation. 

XXX

Eugeo watched Alice draw her sword, the golden knight stalking closer to the carriage that housed Kirito. His own sword, long since repaired from the fight against Administrator, remained safely sheathed--he had the utmost confidence that if anything happened, Alice would be able to handle it with ease. She had, after all, just single-handedly ended the initial battle between their forces and the Dark Territory by way of the most impressive act of sacred arts anyone had ever seen. While Eugeo had remained down near the front lines, assisting Eldrie in the protection of the left wing and, he hoped, saving many lives in the process, Alice had been high above the battlefield on her dragon preparing and then enacting what was essentially a doomsday weapon of light. 

Since their retreat into the desert, Eugeo had been working with Alice and Bercouli and the others to form some sort of strategy to prevent the total destruction of their forces at the hands of the approaching Dark Territory army. The plan had been to ambush them using the cover of this oasis, but for multiple reasons, that hadn’t worked out, and currently the camp was in chaos from a close brush with a rogue division of the Dark Territory. What was truly bizarre about the situation, however, was that rather than the human army having to repulse the rogue division themselves, a hole had opened up in the ground and swallowed it, followed by a chasm appearing to separate them from the approaching enemy army. 

And as far as Eugeo was aware, the source of those miracles was the mysterious woman Alice had just spotted entering Kirito’s carriage. 

He followed her to the entrance, not so much concerned for Kirito’s safety as curious about what was happening. After all, it would be odd if this woman had saved the camp only to attack one of its inhabitants. He felt like previously he would’ve been more hesitant to approach the carriage with a stranger in it, but since he’d almost died fighting Administrator, he’d been experiencing a strange sense of clarity. Something inside him told him to keep his cool and wait this one out before striking unnecessarily. 

The same message, however, appeared not to have reached Alice. She was just reaching the door to the carriage when Ronie and Tiese stepped out, followed scant seconds later by a young woman. Faster than Eugeo could blink, Alice raised her sword and struck at the woman, sending a bolt of panic through Eugeo--

\--only to find the strike blocked by a rapier that had appeared seemingly from nowhere. The two women proceeded to exchange sword strikes at a speed Eugeo couldn’t comprehend before coming to a halt with their hilts locked. Only then did a noise of protest make its way out of his mouth, and only then could Eugeo get a good look at what was going on. 

The young woman holding the rapier appeared to be around his and Alice’s age, and like Alice, she was stunningly beautiful, with long chestnut hair and an exquisite white dress. Her brilliant brown eyes, currently burning with a fierce determination, shone in a face of unparalleled foreign beauty, and the way she stood told Eugeo she would be surpassingly graceful in movement. He was just about to advise Alice to back off when Ronie and Tiese beat him to it. 

“M-my lady, please stop!” 

“She is not our enemy, Miss Alice!” 

The two younger girls turned to apologize to the stranger with surprising reverence, which Eugeo noted and added to his growing list of suspicions. 

Alice was not to be dissuaded, however. 

“Who are you?!” she demanded of the beautiful young woman. “Why are you trying to approach Kirito?!” 

The fury that erupted across the young woman’s face was as surpassing as her beauty. 

“Why...?” she began, her voice leaden with anger. “Because I’m his  _ wife _ ! And I have been deeply worried about him for a very long time, and I intend to be reunited with him and protect him now that I have found him! And if that were not good enough reason for you, might I  _ also  _ inform you that I recently found out I am expecting a baby?  _ Surely _ , you would not object to me visiting the father of my child?” 

The acid in her voice could have melted the walls of the Central Cathedral, the hardest substance in the world. 

“Don’t you already have one child?” Eugeo asked abruptly, the pieces finally clicking for him. 

Everyone turned to stare at him, their swords dropping. The woman--the divinely beautiful wife of Kirito--looked shocked, but she quickly recovered. 

“Yes,” she said quietly. “I do. A daughter named Yui.” 

Alice rounded on Eugeo, clearly still not trusting any of this. “How do you know her?” she hissed, evidently displeased to turn her back on her opponent. 

“Kirito mentioned her to me one time,” he said, feeling oddly relaxed now despite the strange circumstances. “She’s telling the truth, Alice.” 

Alice pursed her lips and turned back to her opponent. “I am prepared to sheath my sword if you will do so at the same time.” 

“Fine.” The young woman, who Eugeo had begun to suspect was not of this world, sheathed her rapier at the same time as Alice put away her longsword. 

“My name is Asuna,” she said at last. “I am from what you would call the celestial realm, and I am here because you are in even more danger than you know. I was just on my way to speak in the presence of those in charge when you attacked me.” 

She spoke with such grace and gravity, in a voice as clear and beautiful as the night sky, that Eugeo had no trouble believing she was a goddess. If her literal descent from the heavens and subsequent rescue of the human army had not been enough, the fact that she was able to withstand Alice’s attack with apparent ease seemed enough to prove she had abilities beyond the scope of ordinary mortals. 

No, what was really strange was the fact that she, a goddess, was married to Kirito and expecting a child with him. After all, Kirito had been here in the mortal realm with Eugeo for nearly three years now. 

“Ah, Lady Asuna?” Eugeo began awkwardly. “I’m sorry, but it occurs to me that Kirito has been here without you for a long time. I don’t doubt your word, but how could your child be his?” 

He instantly regretted his choice of words for that last part. Asuna’s eyes flashed angrily, and she bristled with indignation. Eugeo watched with a detached sense of fear that she was going to smite him. 

“Time works differently in the celestial realm,” she snapped, her beautiful face aflame. One of her hands drifted down towards her stomach, and if she hadn’t inadvertently called attention to it, Eugeo never would have noticed, but there was a slight bump there, just enough to confirm her story once and for all. 

“Of course,” said Eugeo, giving a short bow. “It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Asuna. Your husband is one of my dearest friends. He’s saved my life many times over. I’d be happy to escort you to our commander. You don’t have any objections, do you, Alice?” 

The golden-haired swordswoman looked suspicious, but she shook her head. “I will accompany the two of you to see Uncle--Commander Bercouli. He’ll be wanting to hear an explanation for the divine chasms that appeared anyway.” She turned to Asuna begrudgingly. “I suppose we have you to thank for those. You no doubt saved many lives.” She paused for a moment. “Thank you.” 

It was not an apology, Eugeo noted, but it was better than nothing. 

XXX

Asuna addressed the commander of the human army--who was as promised a powerfully built man named Bercouli--along with the rest of the officers and other notable people in an exhausting meeting that ultimately concluded with her agreeing to stay and fight the Dark Territory army. Alice would not abandon the human army to go to the real world without first making sure this world was safe, and the double realization that the enemy had already infiltrated the Dark Territory army and there was a mole on Rath’s staff meant that Asuna wasn’t sure leaving the relative safety of the human army encampment was such a good idea anyway. There had been one interesting development, however, that did not spell imminent doom. Eugeo--the flaxen-haired young man who had disarmed Alice’s anger earlier--had also broken the Right Eye Seal, meaning Rath’s information was out of date. Both Eugeo and Alice had surpassed the bounds put on them by the Underworld, so either one would be suitable for Rath’s militant purposes, and more interesting from a philosophical perspective, there was nothing separating them from Asuna or Kirito or the rest of humanity. 

Now Asuna was sitting on the bed in the tent she’d been given. Perhaps it was the power of her fluctlight, or a simple feature of the STL, but her body in the Underworld felt exactly the same as it did in the real world, which rather unhelpfully meant she was experiencing unreasonable levels of exhaustion. What had not been apparent in the real world but was here, however, was the slight swell to her stomach, which Asuna could only justify as a matter of the STL interpreting her condition visually in a way her physical body had not yet. Or else it was merely a matter of the clothing here being more revealing than what she’d been wearing in the real world. Either way, she was showing, not enough that it would be noticed unless you were looking for it, but it was there all the same, and Asuna’s thoughts turned once again to the man she’d referred to as her husband. 

Kirito clearly needed help if his fluctlight was going to heal, and despite her considerable weariness, Asuna couldn’t sleep. If only she could see him, it might do the both of them some good. 

Quietly, since some young men had naturally decided a goddess required guards, Asuna changed into lighter clothes and crept to the entrance of her tent. Blessedly, the effects of her pregnancy had not extended to the stats afforded her by using a super-account. With impressive grace, she snuck out of the tent and bounded away into the shadows, the guards none the wiser. 

The few people who were awake seemed to be on lookout duty around the edges of the camp, so Asuna had no trouble making her way towards the supply tents where she’d last seen Kirito. Once there, she hesitated for a moment before starting in his direction, only to notice movement out of the corner of her eye. 

Two figures approached her, one gold and one blue, and Asuna had to suppress a feeling of irritation as she remembered her previous meeting with these people. 

“I thought you would come here,” said Alice, no longer wearing her ostentatious armor, but rather a simple tunic in much the same style as Asuna’s. Behind her was a young man, Eugeo, wearing a blue sleep shirt and looking apologetic. 

“I couldn’t convince her to leave you alone,” Eugeo explained, “so I decided to come with her.” 

“I take the safety of everyone in this camp very seriously,” said Alice sternly, ignoring Eugeo, “and no one’s more seriously than Kirito’s. I acknowledge your right to see him, but I will not put up with people going in and out of Kirito’s tent without my oversight.” 

Asuna clenched her jaw and didn’t speak for a moment, full of barely contained fury. “I assure you,” she said at last, “I am fully capable of seeing to his safety myself.” 

“I have no doubt,” agreed Eugeo, “but Alice always worries about him, and honestly, I’d feel better if I could see him too. Why don’t we all go in together?” 

Asuna would’ve preferred to be alone with Kirito, but she couldn’t deny that Eugeo and Alice seemed to care about him too, and right now, her beloved could use all the care he could get. 

She sighed, and all the anger drained out of her body, leaving only love and resignation. “Alright,” she said. “We go together.” She hesitated, and then, her longing for her lover returning in full force, she asked, “Would you perhaps be willing to tell me how you both came to care for him?” She wanted to know what Kirito had been up to all this time away from her, as much as the thought of his separation from her hurt to think about. 

“An exchange,” said Alice, smiling slightly for the first time in Asuna’s presence. “I will tell what I know, and Eugeo will tell what he knows, and  _ you _ will tell what you know.” 

“I suppose that is only fair,” said Asuna. “It’s a deal.” 

The trio continued onward to Kirito’s tent, the night air cool and quiet. Then, to Asuna’s surprise, a voice called out, “Excuse me.” 

The young woman from earlier who Asuna had saved appeared, bowing respectfully. “Lady Asuna...Lady Alice...Sir Eugeo...have you all come to visit Kirito? Might I join you?” 

Asuna gave an exasperated smile and nodded. Of course Kirito had made many friends in this realm. It would be unreasonable to keep him all to herself, at least for the moment. 

No sooner had she nodded her agreement to Ronie joining the group than another voice rang through the maze of supply tents. 

“I don’t suppose you’d let me join in your exchange, as well?” 

It was the tall swordswoman Asuna had seen earlier at the meeting of officers, Liena Serlut. 

To Asuna’s surprise, Alice beat her to asking Liena’s connection to Kirito, apparently equally surprised by the guard’s appearance. 

“He was my page at North Centoria Imperial Swordcraft Academy.” Liena raised a cool eyebrow. “I’m equally curious as to each of your connections with him. Is that not the point of this exchange?” 

“I think the actual point is to help Kirito,” Eugeo pointed out. Asuna nodded in agreement, silently forgiving the flaxen-haired swordsman for his earlier impertinence. 

“I am hoping that by visiting him, we’ll be able to restore his fluctlight, and he’ll return to his usual self,” Asuna said, her determination evident as she looked around at the group. “Hearing about what he has been doing while separated from me is only an added bonus.” 

“...fluctlight?” Eugeo asked as the group moved onward. “You keep saying things in the sacred tongue, and I don’t understand.” 

Asuna thought about it for a moment, and then said softly, “It means  _ soul _ .” It wasn’t a perfect translation, but it was close enough. 

“Do you often speak the sacred tongue in the celestial realm?” Eugeo asked curiously as they walked. 

“Fairly often,” Asuna answered. “Kirito actually more often than me.” He’d been spending a lot of time on Western gaming forums. 

They finally reached the tent with Kirito in it, and the party entered, Asuna immediately moving to her beloved’s side. He was asleep in a travel bed, and Asuna’s heart twisted in her chest at the sight of him so peaceful and familiar. She was reminded of him asleep in their house in Alfheim while she and the others were trying to study, the memory bringing a nostalgic smile to her lips. 

“Okay,” she said, taking a seat in a chair near her husband while everyone else settled around the room. “Let’s get started.” 

**Author's Note:**

> eugeo's scene is partly in reference to the very first work in this series, titled about missing people, wherein kirito mentions having a wife and daughter. i had fun with it.


End file.
